While you probably think that running my handmade business means that I’m constantly stuck behind a sewing machine, you would actually be surprised to learn that most of my time is spent just like this: Behind the screen of a computer. I could spend my time creating and posting beautiful products, but that is not going to bring customers to my online business. Instead, handmade businesses require a lot of promotion.
Sure, selling handmade items on Etsy or Ebay where they have this built up customer base is fantastic, but I can’t express the importance of having your own website and your own customer base. Bringing customers to you is something that requires search optimization of your page and products. It also means making sure that you are reaching out on social media to bring in customers that meet your audience requirements.
To perform well on search engines, you need to have plenty of text rich copy that contains keywords that your ideal customer will be searching for to find your product. You also need pictures that contain alt tags that are also text rich with keywords.
As for social media, you need to be active.
I started posting new products (because it can take search engines some time to find your products (think 6 months ahead)), plus I started sharing things on social media. Plus, I began posting and sharing on Pinterest. Plus, I started utilizing my Twitter account again. Plus, I placed items on Instagram.
As far as sewing, I only created one new product. Everything else was spent prepping my social media. I also had to go online and work on my Facebook catalog that’s linked to my website. That is another nightmare. I can’t update everything at one time. I have to do it all one at a time. Out of 179 products and a total of 250 variations, I have to update 250 items. Each variation has to have a quantity available or your product doesn’t show in Facebook Marketplace.
The best way to overcome all of this is to set aside a schedule that allows you to to it all. For example, I split my time in the sewing room and time behind the computer. As I type this, I’ll be stopping soon to spend time sewing, and then I’ll pick up writing again this afternoon. If it is a writing day, I start off writing, and if I finish fast enough, I go sew or prep to sew. If it is a sewing day, I sew the entire day and spend time posting my process.
Having an online business can be tedious, especially if you just want to do the creative stuff. It’s not all creative. It is a combination of creativity and writing, emphasis on the writing. It is a lot of time spent behind a computer screen and not nearly enough spent behind (in my case) a sewing machine. Will I quit? Nope! Will I just sell online? Nope! I have plans to get my inventory up and go to the flea market to sell some items. In fact, I’m looking into a nearby flea market where I can take my items and go set up a small store front. The competitor buys the $2 shirts online and sells them for $6 with a design. I don’t know how I could compete with that unless I’m making my own shirts and sublimating. I doubt they are sublimating. Probably just using a printer and iron on. You never know. I’ll be checking them out this week.
